Take Me with You (Take Me #2)(31)

“Sir, are you all right?” the doorman asked. He looked as if he wanted to find out what the hell my problem was and force me to leave, but instead, he stared at me as if I were some strange specimen.

My knuckles were throbbing, and it looked as if I’d broken the skin. I shook out my hand, trying to ignore the pain. The real issue here was that Ari had gone upstairs with Henry.

Upstairs to her hotel room.

With Henry.

My brain wasn’t wrapping itself around the concept. What the f*ck? She had said they had kissed over break, but that he meant nothing to her. Now, he was here in New York. It all seemed so…coincidental. Too coincidental.

She wouldn’t cheat on me. She wouldn’t f*cking do that to me. I needed to talk to her. I needed to hear it out of her mouth that she wasn’t f*cking some dude in an expensive-ass hotel room to forget about me.

I fumbled with my phone and went back out under the awning. She hadn’t responded to the text message I sent earlier. I clicked her number and hugged the phone to my ear. It rang three times before going to voice mail.

“Hey, this is Aribel. Leave a message after the tone.”

“Ari, answer your phone. We need to talk. Call me back.”

I hung up, feeling like a complete f*cking idiot. Who was I to chase after a girl like this? My whole f*cking life, chicks had pursued me. Now, I was turning into a goddamn lunatic at the thought of Ari being with someone else. I’d do anything to make this right.

Maybe she was already in the lobby. Maybe she’d gotten my message, and she was coming down to see me. I pushed past the doorman in a hurry.

My eyes scanned the small lobby in earnest. An older couple was sitting on a sofa. Otherwise, the place was empty.

No Ari.

No Henry.

Nothing.

I stormed over to the front desk and tried to put a smile on for the female desk clerk. I could be charming even with this f*cking thundercloud over my head. I could get what I wanted. She would tell me how to find my f*cking girlfriend.

“Hey,” I said.

The woman glanced up at me and then back down at her computer screen, unimpressed.

Right. Classy-ass joint. I’d need a bit more of my usual swagger than what I was mustering up at the moment.

“Hello, sir. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Rachel,” I said, reading the gold name tag on her chest. I ignored the small amount of cleavage peeking out of her top and directed my gaze into her almost black eyes. “I’m trying to locate someone who is staying here.”

She gave me a look that told me to explain, so I jumped right in.

“I’m trying to find Aribel Graham’s room. She told me she was staying here, and I’m supposed to meet her, but she didn’t tell me what number she was in.”

Rachel’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I’m sorry. I can’t help you with that. We keep all our customers’ information private.”

I laughed confidently and leaned against the desk. “I get it. I totally hate asking, but I think her phone is dead. I just got into the city. See, I’m on tour with The Drift and wanted to see my girl when I was finished.”

“The band, The Drift?”

“That’s the one,” I lied.

She seemed to look at me a tad more appreciatively, but I still hadn’t moved her. “I really wish I could help, but if she didn’t give you that information, I absolutely cannot provide it.”

“All right. I don’t want you breaking any rules.” I shot a smile that said I’d love for her to do nothing more. “But can you call up to her room and let her know I’m down here?”

“I would if I could, but I can’t,” she said diplomatically. “No outside contact with customers. You have to understand.”

She cast her eyes back to the computer monitor. It was a dismissal. I couldn’t f*cking be dismissed.

“Please,” I begged.

I was f*cking begging. Shoot me now.

“Please, I need to see her.”

Her eyes softened for a second, and then she shook her head. “Don’t ask again. It’s against company policy. I’d lose my job.”

I nodded numbly. I understood. I didn’t want to get the poor girl fired. I just wanted to see my girlfriend. I wanted to make her understand.

Why was that so difficult? She could walk down from her room, and we’d talk like normal people instead of the insane people who took up residence inside of our heads when we argued.

I loved Ari. That was really f*cking obvious. But I couldn’t keep letting our alter egos take over during our conversations. I needed to remain calm.

I needed a f*cking joint, but I wouldn’t go get one.

No, I’d sit right here on the f*cking couch near the old couple and watch the elevator doors. Even if Ari never came down, Henry would have to at some point. I just had to keep f*cking telling myself that.

She’d never do anything with that motherf*cker. She would never let him stay. She was smarter than that.

I sat down and stared. Every time the elevator doors dinged open, I’d jump up from my spot and wait for him to exit. Anticipation settled in my stomach as I imagined all the horrible things I’d do to him when I saw him, and then I’d make him tell me which room Ari was in. Intermittently, I’d call her cell phone, but after the third time of no answer, I stopped trying.